THERE is a real buzz about a new homegrown treat tantalising Chorlton tastebuds.

Doctor Alec Anson and his wife Alison (pictured) are the proud producers of Chorlton Garden Honey, which is created, collected and bottled at their home on High Lane.

Helped by the 250,000 bees that live at the bottom of their garden, the Ansons have turned their home into a hive of activity.

Alec, a consultant eye surgeon, said: "I’ve always been involved with nature and four years ago we saw a beekeeping course with Cheshire Beekeepers’ Association so we went along to evening classes and learnt how to look after a hive." They now have seven hives and their tiny winged workers make daily trips to collect the purest pollen from Chorlton Ees and the Water Park.

Alec said: "Even though there are thousands of them, you don’t really see them in the garden because they fly up vertically and straight across to the Water Park or Chorlton Ees because they know there’s an abundance of good pollen there."

But Alec and Alison, who have a 12-year-old daughter called Milly, won’t be stung by big shops snapping up their tasty jars of honey – so far it’s been flying off the shelves since it’s launch a month ago exclusively at Barbakan, on Manchester Road.

They will also be selling it at the Eye Hospital, where they both work, to raise money for the New Children’s Hospital Appeal.

So far, the bees have brought them a sweet return.

Alec said: "On a good year each hive will produce between 50 and 100lbs of honey. Last year was particularly bad because of the weather, but this year has been much better.

"Harvesting it is a messy job, but we always manage to get friends over to help us fill jars and taste-test it. it’s so much purer than shop-bought honey because you don’t need to use excessive heat to pasteurise it, which damages its natural taste."

The busy bee season for the Ansons runs from April until October, when they check the hive every ten days. They wear protective suits and smoke the hive to get the bees out while honeycombs are removed.

Amazingly, in spite of having so many bees, Alec and his family rarely get stung.

He said: "I never get stung! They are very placid unless the hive is under threat. When we smoke the hive we wear all the proper protective gear."

The doctor is an advocate of the honey’s medical properties too, as it can help combat hayfever, colds and digestive problems.

He said: "It’s very healthy, we use it as a substitute for refined sugar. Every morning I have honey on toast, we also have it in drinks and for everything you’d normally use sugar for.

"I never get fed up of it, I have at least a spoonful a day because the taste is lovely. Our honey is by far the best I’ve had!"